Draft-equalizer.



PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907;

V B. A; BARRY. DRAFT BQUALIZER. AEPLIOATION rum) me.29,19os.

THE NORRIS PETERS c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed August 29, 1906. Serial No. 332.493.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. BARRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sutherland, in the county of OBrien and State of Iowa, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Draft-Equalizers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

his invention relates to draft-equalizers which are intended and adaptedespecially to be used upon agricultural implements of various kinds, theobject of the invention being to provide a simple and inexpensive deviceof this character, whereby the draft will be efiectively equalizedbetween the animals on opposite sides of the tongue or pole.

Further objects of the invention are to simplify and improve the generalconstruction and operation of the parts constituting the invention.

With these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as thenature of the in vention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination ofparts,which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited,but that changes, alterations, and modifications within the scope of theinvention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is .a top plan view of a vehicle-tongueequipped with draftequalizing mechanism constructed in accordance withthe principles of the invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of thesame. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by theline 3 3 in Fig. 1.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of reference.

1 designates a vehicle tongue or pole, upon which a cross-bar 2 issecured by means'of a keeper, clip, or staple, as 3, the cross-bar 2consisting of a flat metal bar set on edge and bent at its ends to formrearward-extending arms 4 4. Said arms are connected with the tongue byforwardly-extending obliquelydisposed bars or braces 5 5, the rear endsof which are secured upon the arms 4 by means of rivets 6 or othersuitable fastening device, the front ends of the braces 5 beingconnected with the tongue by means of a transverse pin or bolt 7. Thebraces 5 are connected with the tongue 1 by means of divergent braces 8,the front ends of which are secured upon the braces 5 intermediate theends of the latter, while the rear ends of the braces 8 are connectedwith the pole or tongue by a transverse pin or bolt 9. The cross-bar 2,together with the braces 5 5 and 8 8, constitutes a frame to which thedraft is applied, as will be now more fully described.

The doubletree or equalizer D is composed of two separate parts ormembers 10 10, formed of strap-metal, each of said members constitutinga yoke, having an upper arm 11 and a lower arm 12, said arms beingdisposed 7 in an approximately vertical plane one above the other. Theyokes or members 10 10 are pivoted upon the tongue by means of thehammer-bolt 13, the arms 11 overlapping one another above the tongue andthe arms 12 of the two members being overlapped below the tongue. Uponeach of the arms 11, near the. end thereof, is secured an angular orL-shaped plate or clip 14, which engages the rear edge of thecorresponding arm of the other yoke or member, thereby preventing thesaid members from bending or flexing in a rearward direction. Each ofthe yokes or members 10 is provided near its end with a vertical pin 15,upon which is ournaled a pul- 8 ley 16, said pulleys being disposedbetween the arms 11 12 of each yoke. The pin 15 also serves for theattachment of links or straps 17, carrying the swingletree 18.

Flexible elements, such as chains 19, are 9 guided over the pulleys 16.The rear ends of said flexible elements are connected, by means ofclevises 20, with the cross-bar 2 of the draft-frame. The forward endsof the flexible elements 19 are connected by means 5 of a rod 21, whichextends across the tongue in front of and adjacent to the doubletree.Stop members 22 are secured adjustably upon the flexible elements inrear of the doubletree, as shown. 1 In practice the pulleys 16 willtravel freely upon the flexible elements 19, thus permitting thedoubletree or equalizer to swing freely upon the hammer-boltconstituting its pivot, it being evident that the parts or mem- I here10 10 of the doubletree or equalizer are free to flex in a forwarddirection, so as to take up any slack that may possibly exist in thechains or flexible elements, with the obvious result that an unduestrain exerted by I carried by said yokes,

one of the draft-animals will be transmitted through the draft elementsto the other end of the equalizer. The stops 22 will serve to limit therearward movement of the free ends of the member of the doubletrec orequalizer, and the clips or angular plates 14 will prevent the free endsof the members of the equalizer from flexing in a rearward direction.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a deviceof the class described a tongue or pole having a cross-bar, bracesconnecting said cross-bar with the tongue to constitute a draft-frame, adoubletree pivoted upon the frame and having guide members at the endsthereof, flexible elements guided over said members and connected attheir rear ends with the cross-bar of the draftframe, and a rodconnecting the forward ends of the flexible elements and extendingacross the tongue adjacent to and in front of the doubletree.

2. In a device of the class described a tongue having a cross-bar,braces connecting the ends of said cross-bar with the tongue, adoubletree composed of two yokes or members pivoted upon the tongue,guide-pulleys flexible elements guided over said pulleys and connectedat their rear ends with the cross-bar, and a rod connecting the frontends oi said flexible elements and extending across the tongue in frontof and adjacent to the doubletree.

3. In a device of the class described a tongue having a crossbar, adoubletree comprising two independent yokes or members pivoted upon thetongue and having overlapping arms each provided with a clip engagingthe rear edge of the other, guide-pulleys carried by the yokes, andflexible elements connected at their iront ends adjacent to and in frontof the doubletree and having their rear ends connected with. thecross-bar.

4. In a device of the class described a tongue having a crossbar, adoubletree comprising two independent yokes or members pivoted upon thetongue, guide-pulleys carried by said yokes or members, flexibleelements guided over said pulleys and having their front ends connectedin front of and adjacent to the doubletree, said flexible elements beingconnected at their rear ends with the crossbar, a stop member securedupon said flexible elements in rear of the ends of the yokes or membersof the doubletree to limit the rearward movement of the latter.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN A. BARRY.

Witnesses:

- C. A. WAT'rs,

0.1 JORDAN.

